I know that its the time where the LEH chronicles are pouring in, but hoping that my log too would get some attention
Been a long time since i posted a log, and my recent Tri-state G2G invoked me to do my view into a log and also made to re-visit my intial rides on y FZ-16. The result of that is the creation on this thread which comprises my first ride with FZ and a short sprint trip to nearby Vellore.
Bonding with my Lord of the Streets - FZ 16
After being without bike for 3 odd months facing lot personal setbacks whenever I tried to procure one, finally I sidestepped my setback and decided to buy a bike for myself again. This time I had 2 options and both are from Yamaha stable - one YZF-R15 and the other FZ-16. With my budget being a major decision factor, I finally cling to the reins of the Lord - FZ-16. Here I got to thank my friends for their support who helped financially to get the bike.. which in turn I repaid them in time
After taking the bike from delivery, I was very keen on maintain the bike properly during the initial run-in period. After the initial 200kms of riding majorly in the traffic i.e. city conditions, I wanted to improve my bonding more with my bike, so headed out to the cool stretch of roads in Chennai - ECR on n early Sunday morning. With my bike munching up each km of the ECR stretch I was getting a real hang of my lord, in turn which helped in reining the lord and the comfortable level to which extent I can rip and get accustomed to the handling. There were few SBK's parked near the view point which is a usual scene on Sunday mornings, I kept cruising on.
Finally I stopped at Tiger Caves on ECR for a short break and also for the portrayal of my Lord in the best way I can. After a long session of taking pictures I rode back to home doing some 100km ride giving a tip-off to my Lord what he can look forward to in future rides
Note: You can view the entire set of pictures from this
link.
Ride 'de Vellore
Been 2 months since I got my bike back in Oct '09. After a short ride to tiger caves in ECR to get the bonding on to my bike and vice-versa to feel each and every move of my bike by me and mine by the bike. Now was the time to do a ride and there was no company. No company - so what - all set to do a solo ride and was looking into different places for destinations and finally fixed up the destination as Gingee fort, but destiny has some other place for me which I came to know just the day before the ride. I was all set to do the ride on the 19th Dec, Saturday and on Friday late eve when I discussing about my ride to Gingee for t in Vellore, that time only I realized that the Gingee fort is MalaiKottai (Hill fort)is in another direction and there is an another fort NelaKottai (Ground Fort) in Vellore. So on the eve of the Ride I decided to check out the 'Vellore Fort' itself as I haven't heard or seen the place and also as I had heard about the Gingee fort a lot and also seen a couple of logs on that.
Being all set for the ride, I left home by 6.30 am and soon I was riding in the velvety NH in a comfortable cruising speed of 90. Took my first break after some 80kms to answer my nature call
and some photography. Farm fields on the either sides of the roads were awesome fresh and green. After spending some decent 10 min break and I started back to Vellore and reached there by 8.30am; made a quick call to my friend Sathish who's home town is Vellore to check on entry for the Fort and its timings. With the information from him that the fort will be open from 8am I towards my destination - 'Vellore Fort'.
Fort was really well maintained with neat and huge garden in the outside, boating in the channel between the fort and the Garden. Entered the fort and parked my bike in a shady place, as the sun started to make its presence with some heat. Checked with the parking guy, about the way to reach the top of the fort so that I can give full walk over the fort to see structure first hand. Started my walk towards the top - not so height probably 15-20 meters high the fort must have stood immensely as a big structure of defense with the water channel full crocs and snakes making it difficult for any intruder to cross and get an entry into the fort. There were few local people who have turned up there for chit-chatting and few others to visit the temple inside the fort.
I started to walk in a direction where all local people were moving and the view from one of the watch towers of the fort really good and give a full view of the city. It's time for my camera action and started clicking the picks. Now I started to walk in the opposite direction to cover the entire fort by walk. After few meters on the path a thought hit my mind whether did I take the correct direction or the does the way takes me all round the fort. Luckily saw one local guy was coming on way and checked with him whether I can take this route to cover the entire fort, with his assurance I kept moving forward and kept myself occupied by clicking the pictures of the fort from different angles J and the surroundings of the fort. What was quite encouraging is that the government has taken steps in maintain and restructuring the fort, also was able to see some of the decent work they have done. They were even fixing the garden on the south end of the fort, hoping that should be in place within couple of months. after crossing half the distance and walking towards to complete a full circle of the fort is where I started see people until then it was me all alone walking around the fort. Once I complete covering the entire fort on foot, I decided to take some pictures of the fort from outside too. so I climbed on to my bike and took the road which circles the fort, stopping in locations where I could take some real good pictures of fort from outside.
Energized myself by eating some chocolates which I carried and juices to re-hydrate myself from the heat. Called up my friend Sathish asking the route to his home. Went to his home spent some 15 min there and started back ride back to Chennai. Wanted to reach home soon to save myself from heat so did a single1 min-stop(to take a picture of a curing road) ride from Vellore and reached home by 1pm with kms on my odo.
Note: You can view the entire set of pictures from this
link.